Method and apparatus for aiding conditioning of an erect spinal column and advantageous muscle control

Abstract

A handgrip member and back reference bar are part of an improved apparatus for aiding conditioning of muscles in th head and neck, the shoulder girdle and the pelvic girdle to position those body parts in relation to a centerline or gravity line through an erect individual to improve the posture of the individual through an erect spinal column. With the improved apparatus, certain key muscles and various body manipulations are used in conditioning an erect spinal column and in conditioning advantageous muscle control prevalent in a cross-crawl movement by the method of the invention.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for aiding conditioning of muscles in the head, neck, shoulder girdle and pelvic girdle of an individual person to obtain an erect and aligned spinal column, comprising: elbow cup means adapted for supporting the bent elbows of an erect person with the arms extended forward and each hand touching the elbow of the opposite hand, said elbow cup means also comprising means for operatively connecting the elbow cup means to an upright wall-like surface;   shoulder positioning means adapted for engaging the shoulder fronts of the erect person a predetermined distance outward from said elbow cup means and away from the upright surface, said shoulder positioning means also comprising means for operatively connecting the shoulder positioning means to the upright surface at a position generally above said elbow cup means; and   handgrip means adapted for gripping by the hand of the erect person below the elbow cup means when said elbow cup means are not being used and with the shoulder fronts abutted against said shoulder positioning means and with the upper arm of the gripping hand extending generally downward from the shoulder, and the lower arm of the gripping hand extending generally forward from the elbow, said handgrip means also comprising means operatively connecting the handgrip means to the upright surface at a position generally below said elbow cup means.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising: back referencing means adapted for engaging the back of the erect person at a position at the shoulder girdle, said back referencing means also comprising means for operatively connecting the back referencing means to the upright surface at a position generally below said elbow cup means to provide the position of engagement at the shoulder girdle generally below the level of the shoulders of the person.   
     
     
       3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 further comprising: carriage means for operatively connecting said elbow cup means, said shoulder positioning means, said handgrip means and said back referencing means to the upright wall-like surface.   
     
     
       4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 further comprising: slide means for supporting said carriage means at a plurality of vertical positions; and   adjustment means associated with said slide means and said carriage means for retaining said carriage means at a selected vertical position along said slide means.   
     
     
       5. Apparatus for aiding conditioning of muscles between the head, neck, shoulder girdle and pelvic girdle of an individual person to obtain an erect spinal column, comprising: at least one vertically extending slide member including means for operatively attaching said slide member generally vertically to an upright surface;   a carriage member mounted for movement along the vertical slide member and including means for retaining said carriage member at any one of a plurality of selected vertical positions along said slide member;   an elbow cup member connected to said carriage member outward of the upright surface;   a shoulder positioning arm pivotably connected to said carriage member above said elbow cup member; and   a back reference bar member operatively connected to said carriage member below said elbow cup member.   
     
     
       6. Apparatus as recited in claim 5 further comprising: a handgrip member operatively connected to said carriage member below said elbow cup member.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said hand-grip member is angled with respect to the upright surface. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein: two parallel vertical slide members are provided in a laterally spaced apart relation;   one carriage member is mounted for movement in each slide member;   one elbow cup member and one shoulder positioning member and one handgrip member are operatively attached to each carriage member; and   said back reference bar member extends laterally between said carriage members.   
     
     
       9. Apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein each of said handgrip members is angled with respect to the upright surface. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said back reference bar includes a laterally extending center portion spaced outward from said carriage member and said upright surface. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus adopted to be connected to an upright wall-like surface for aiding conditioning proper posture of an individual person, comprising: a vertically extending slide member adopted to be operatively attached to the upright surface, said slide member comprising:   an outward facing and vertically extending opening defined by two laterally spaced apart edge portions laterally projecting toward one another, and   a back wall portion extending vertically along and spaced behind the vertically extending opening, the back wall having a plurality of holes formed therein;   means adapted for contacting a body part of an erect person during a posture conditioning exercise, and   carriage means for operatively attaching said body part connecting means to said slide member, said carriage means comprising:   a boss member generally projecting into the outward facing vertical opening at the slide member,   at least one wing member attached to the boss member and extending laterally behind at least one edge portion at the slide member, and   a pin member projecting through the outward facing vertical opening to fit within a hole in the back wall portion of said slide member.   
     
     
       12. A method of aiding conditioning of proper body posture by relating the head, neck, shoulder girdle and pelvic girdle of an individual person to a centerline through the person for obtaining an erect off-center spiral column, comprising the steps of: supporting the bent elbows of a standing person in elbow supporting means with the upper arms extended forward from the shoulders, the lower arms extended toward the bent elbow of the opposite arm, and each hand touching the elbows of the opposite arm;   moving the head upward and backward over and away from the shoulder girdle, and the pelvic girdle backward about its lower hip joint portion, all with the bent elbows supported;   next abutting the shoulder fronts of the standing person on shoulder positioning means;   gripping a handgrip by at least one hand of the standing person with the upper arms extended downward from the shoulder, the elbow bent, and the lower arms extended forward while the shoulder fronts abut the shouler positioning means;   pulling downward with the hand gripping the handgrip; and   moving the head and neck and the pelvic girdle in the previously recited manner, all with the hands gripping the handgrips and the shoulder fronts abutting the shoulder positioning means when pulling downward with the hand.   
     
     
       13. A method as recited in claim 12 further comprising: supporting the back of the standing person on a back reference means extending generally across the shoulder girdle below the shoulders; and   moving the head and neck and pelvic girdle in the previously recited manner, all with the back supported.   
     
     
       14. A method as recited in claim 13 further comprising: placing one foot of the standing person transversely forward with respect to the other foot.   
     
     
       15. A method of aiding conditioning of the relationship of the head and neck, the shoulder girdle, and the pelvic girdle to a centerline through an erect individual's body to obtain an erect spinal column, and further for the purpose of aiding transferring muscle control prevalent in a cross-crawl movement to the erect biped position, comprising the steps of: providing means adapted for supporting the elbows of an erect individual with the upper arms extended forward from the shoulders,   extending the arms of an erect individual forward from the shoulders,   supporting the elbows of the forward extending arms in the elbow supporting means,   placing one foot transversely forward with respect to the other foot,   supporting the majority of the body weight on the backward foot.   moving the back and spinal column at the shoulder girdle away from the elbows in the elbow support means by flexing the serratus magnus muscles, and   using the elbow of the arm on the side of the body opposite the forward foot primarily for moving the back and spinal column away from the supported elbows.   
     
     
       16. A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising the steps of: moving the head and neck by flexing the rectus capitus anterior muscles to generally move the head up and back from the shoulder girdle to generally position the posterior border of the ramus of the mandible at the centerline, and   moving the anterior superior iliac spines of the pelvic girdle back toward the centerline by flexing the internal obliques and psoas muscles.   
     
     
       17. A method of aiding conditioning of the relationship of the head and neck, the shoulder girdle and the pelvic girdle to a centerline through an erect individual's body to obtain an erect spinal column, comprising the steps of: providing means adapted for abutting the shoulder fronts of an erect individual,   providing means adapted for gripping by the hand of an arm with the upper arm extending generally downward from the shoulder and the lower arm extending generally forward from the elbow,   abutting the shoulder fronts of an erect individual on the shoulder front abutting means,   gripping the handgrip means with a hand of an arm of the erect individual while the individual's shoulders are abutting the shoulder front abutting means,   moving the anterior superior iliac spines of the pelvic girdle back to the centerline by flexing the internal obliques and psoas muscles, and   pulling downward on the hand grip means simultaneously with the moving of the anterior superior iliac spines.   
     
     
       18. A method as recited in claim 17 for the further purpose of aiding transferring muscle control prevalent in a cross-crawl movement to the erect biped position, comprising the steps of: placing one foot transversely forward with respect to the other foot,   supporting the majority of the body weight on the backward foot,   gripping the hand grip means only with the hand of the arm on the side of the body opposite the forward foot.   
     
     
       19. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of: moving the head and neck by flexing the rectus capitus anterior muscles to generally move the head up and back from the shoulder girdle to position the posterior border of the ramus of the mandible at the centerline.   
     
     
       20. A method as recited in claim 19 further comprising the step of: moving the back and spinal column at the shoulder girdle backward away from the shoulder front abutting means.   
     
     
       21. A method as recited in claim 20 further for the purpose of aiding transferring muscle control prevalent in a cross-crawl movement to the erect biped position, comprising the steps of: placing one foot transversely forward with respect to the other foot,   supporting the majority of the body weight on the backward foot, and   gripping the hand grip means only with the hand of the arm on the side of the body opposite the forward foot.